Mermaids and Sunsets
by The Pigeon One
Summary: Oneshot. Best friends always comfort each other when they're down, and Robin and Raven are no exception.


Don't judge, just read. Also, please note that everyone looks like pretty much normal human beings. If you feel the need, make up your own backstory. Or we'll just say that it makes them less recognizable in a crowd, Robin's idea, of course…

Mermaids and Sunsets

A Oneshot

He didn't know what it was that had caused the breakup, and frankly, he was sure she did either. He thought it was probably just the usual drifting away – it had been a mutual thing, with no tears shed. The rest of their friends had been confused, had not understood what was going on, and the public had gone mad when the news had broken.

The only one who hadn't essentially thrown a fit was Raven. As he announced that he and Starfire had broken up and were no longer a couple, she simply evaluated him over her cup of tea, though he could swear he saw something in her eyes that hinted at her seeing it coming. Had she known before he did that he would break up with Starfire?

Yeah, he concluded, she probably had. That was just the way Raven was. When it came to reading people, she was the best, and when it came to Robin, she was even better. Her best friend to his very core, Robin thought that he could probably read her almost as well as she could read him.

She was sitting on the edge of the tower, her pale legs dangling over the side, rhythmically tapping the glass. Her dark hair was longer now, he noted, and wondered why he hadn't noticed it before. He could imagine the way it would shape her face, and thought it becoming.

"Sometimes I wish I were a mermaid," He heard her whisper. She had, of course, noticed him standing behind her.

Taking this as an invitation, Robin sat next to her, copying her posture and leaning back on his hands. "Do you? I didn't think you could swim."

At that, she laughed. He knew perfectly well that she could swim, even though he'd only seen her do so a handful of times, and none recently.

"The water's just so calm and peaceful. I've been so on edge recently that all I want is a little serenity in my life."

Robin pondered this for a moment. Raven was subject to any number of small daily stresses, and, of course, the bigger ones that came with being a protector of the city, but the rest of the Titans were dealing with the same things, himself included. Was there something she wasn't telling him?

"Rae, you're sitting on the edge of the Tower. Of course you're on edge."

Raven rolled her eyes and smacked him lightly on the thigh with the back of her hand. "Shut up," she said. "You know what I mean."

Actually, he wasn't sure he did. It was obvious that something was wrong with her, or at least that something was bothering her. What was it that he had thought about reading her earlier?

"Yeah," he agreed, smiling. "But apart from the obvious," he motioned towards the edge of the tower, "what is it that's got you on edge?"

She laughed at that, and he was glad that whatever was bothering her wasn't so bad that she was completely stiff.

"Well, aside from the obvious, I'm just really stressed. I mean, I know the life we lead isn't conducive to a stress free life, but lately I've just been feeling like I want to pick up and run and never look back."

That, for what ever reason, concerned Robin, and he unconsciously scooted closer. "You wouldn't do that, would you? A lot of people would be upset if you just left without a word."

Raven didn't answer for a long moment, but when she did, she sounded very distant. "Would you?"

The question took him by surprise. He didn't understand why she would ask such a question. Wasn't she his best friend? He had literally gone to hell and back for her, and she was asking if he would be upset if she simply disappeared.

"You know that's a stupid question, right?"

She nodded, but was silent, and didn't smile as he expected her to.

Not knowing how to respond, they both fell silent, watching the sky fade from one colour to the next. Raven continued to tap her feet on the glass windows, a steady _tap, tap, tap_ that Robin began to count in his head.

"Why did you break up with Starfire?"

The question was a sudden one, and he was stonewalled at first. How was he supposed to answer that question? There were just too many reasons it hadn't worked out…

"I don't know," he replied instead. "I guess there just wasn't any chemistry anymore. We sort of got together in the heat of the moment, you know? And she was really pressuring me into it, too."

He thought back to Tokyo and the warm feeling of Starfire's hand in his. He missed the feeling, though he was careful to separate missing the feeling of someone holding his hand from missing _her_.

"Sometimes I miss having her around, you know? But not so much her, as I miss just _having_ someone around, you know? She was pretty comforting."

"I can't say I know what you mean," she told him. "I mean, not in the physical way. I do know how it feels to be comforted by someone you're close with, just by that person being there."

Robin considered this for a moment, and realized that she spoke the truth. She knew of the comfort of having her friends around; he was a living testament to that. But she had never been in a relationship and was, in fact, the only Titan to date that hadn't even had a night on the town. With Cyborg dating Bumblebee and Beast Boy's ex-relationship with Terra, Raven was the only one who hadn't had a taste of the dating world.

"Yeah, that sucks."

Raven's laugh was bitter. "You think I don't know that? It really does. All of you have had someone at some point in time to call your own, to hold hands with and be genuine with. I don't have that."

"I don't have that anymore, either," Robin reminded her, giving her a sharp look. "As a matter of fact, the only one who has that right now is Cyborg. Besides, aren't you genuine with me?"

She shrugged, a sort of half-hearted motion. "I've always been honest with you, Robin, at least as far as the bounds of reason go. And yes, I suppose you're the only one I've ever really let myself be myself. But I think you'll admit it's a little different when the person you're being genuine with is your significant other, hmm?"

He had to admit that there was logic to what Raven was saying. Of course, Raven tended to be a little bit too logical when it came to things she had perspective on, especially when she thought that no one else understood.

Without really conscious consent, Robin's hand inched closer to Raven's, until it was sitting on top of hers, his fingers laced with hers. When he realized what he had done, he didn't flinch away or remove his hand. To his great surprise, neither did Raven.

"At least I can give you the comfort of having someone hold your hand," he said, and was gratified when she smiled at him and leaned in closer.

"Yeah, at least you can give me that."

END

So, I've always had this theory that Raven was a bit more mild mannered when she was alone with Robin, simply because they _are_ best friends and you drop your defenses around someone you're particularly close with. I liked the idea of him comforting her, it was cute…

This wasn't exactly fluff, because nothing really happened. Yeah, they end up holding hands, but Robin is really just trying to help Raven get through a rough patch. Can you have friendship fluff? Coz that's what I'd classify this as…


End file.
